The present invention is based on a ball-and-socket joint as generally defined hereinafter. German patent No. 659 600 discloses a ball-and-socket joint that is self-securing during assembly and has a ball head connected via a neck with a rod, a radially elastic securing ring or CIRCLIP, and an outer structural part that pivotably receives the ball head. The structural part for the CIRCLIP has a support face in the form of a closed ring embodied by a circumferential groove. It is very difficult to manufacture the CIRCLIP with close tolerances and to position it prior to the assembly of the ball head in such a way, in a state in which it is pre-assembled in the outer part, that the ball-and-socket joint can be assembled in a trouble-free manner, for example by an automatic assembling apparatus or a robot.